Russian diplomat: NATO is 'balancing on the edge of war'

[Boats]

Russian diplomat: NATO is 'balancing on the edge of war'
By: Grayson Quay - The Week News - 12-18-21
Re: https://theweek.com/russia/1008214/r...he-edge-of-war

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Saturday that NATO is "balancing on the edge of war," and that if the alliance does not accede to Russian demands, his country will employ whatever "ways, means and solutions" are necessary "to ensure our security," The Associated Press reports.

These statements come one day after Russia submitted two draft treaties for NATO's consideration. According to BBC, these treaties demand binding guarantees that Ukraine and Georgia will not be admitted to NATO and that the alliance will curtail its military deployments in Eastern Europe.

NATO is unlikely to agree to these terms. "NATO member countries decide who is a member of NATO, not Russia," White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters earlier this month, The Washington Post reported.

More than 14,000 people have been killed since 2014 in fighting between Ukrainian government troops and Russian-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country. Around 95,000 Russian troops are currently massed on the Ukrainian border. Some intelligence analysts believe an invasion is immanent.

"Russia should be in no doubt that further military aggression against Ukraine would have massive consequences and severe cost," the G7 nations said in a draft statement Reuters obtained Sunday.

After a Dec. 7 call with President Vladimir Putin, President Biden said he told the Russian leader an invasion would result in economic sanctions "like nothing he's ever seen."
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2nd post:

NATO will cooperate with Russia, on one condition
By: Layla Guest - RT News 12-18-21
Re: https://www.rt.com/russia/543489-nat...ence-building/

NATO has said that it is ready to work on enhancing confidence-building measures with Russia on the condition that the Kremlin works to reduce tensions on the border with Ukraine
In a statement issued on Thursday, the US-led bloc insisted that any dialogue “would have to proceed on the basis of reciprocity, address [its] concerns about Russia’s actions, be based on the core principles and foundational documents of European security, and take place in consultation with” the NATO’s European partners.

It added that should Moscow “take concrete steps to reduce tensions, we are prepared to work on strengthening confidence-building measures.”

“We reiterate our long-standing invitation to Russia for a meeting of the NATO-Russia Council in the near future,” the statement read.

The notice comes amid worsening tensions between Moscow and the 30-member organisation. Speaking via secure video-link last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin told his US counterpart Joe Biden that his country is “seriously interested” in getting “reliable and firm legal guarantees” that would rule out NATO’s expansion further into Eastern Europe, as well as the deployment of “offensive strike weapons systems” nearby.

Putin’s proposal came in response to Biden’s “concerns” about Russian troops allegedly threatening Ukraine, which has long held aspirations to become a member of the bloc. The Russian leader, however, insisted that it was NATO “making dangerous attempts to conquer” the state’s territory and “building up its military potential at our borders.”

Ukraine’s intelligence service and a number of Western leaders have issued warnings in recent weeks that Moscow could be preparing an all-out invasion of its neighbor. The Kremlin has consistently rejected the allegations, instead voicing concerns about the prospect of the former Soviet republic potentially joining NATO.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the expansion of the military bloc further eastwards is a red line for Moscow, and that Kiev’s potential accession is unacceptable. According to Zakharova, the US is dragging Kiev into the orbit of the military organization and turning it into a “bridgehead” of confrontation with Russia – a move which could destabilize Europe.

Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed that past dialogue between the two proved futile, and that NATO was more interested in “whipping up propaganda and putting pressure on Russia” about Ukraine.

In October, Moscow announced that it would suspend all direct bilateral ties with NATO and shutter its offices in the Russian capital. The move came as a response to the bloc’s expulsion of eight Russian diplomats from its Brussels headquarters, believed to be over claims of involvement in undisclosed ‘espionage.’ Russia denies the charges.
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Personal note:
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NATO is putting the pressure on Russia and will not alter their terms so as to compromise
to Russian wishes. Will they put too much pressure on Putin? That will end up with a NATO
/Russian war? Only time will tell? Who will give in - and who won't - has yet to be defined.
I would think neither side wants an all out war - but the NATO countries will need a
definite agreement to be in place - Russia has to compromise - which in not in their
vocabulary - and may take the hard stand - and eventually they will go to war?
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It seems NATO at this time has the leverage - whereas Putin is trying to save face.
We will see who does what in the very near future. NATO is standing with it's issues
- whereas Russia will have to compromise - or face war.